'India has offered to cut their tariff to nothing': Donald Trump, calls move 'too late'
“What few people understand is that we do very little business with India, but they do a tremendous amount of business with us… They sell us massive amounts of goods… but we sell them very little,” Trump wrote. “Until now a totally one-sided relationship, and it has been for many decades.”
- Sep 1, 2025,
- Updated Sep 1, 2025 7:16 PM IST
US President Donald Trump on September 1 claimed that India has offered to cut all tariffs to 'nothing' and added that 'it's too late now'. Trump also lashed out at India’s trade practices, calling the long-standing economic relationship “a totally one-sided disaster.”
In a post on Truth Social, Trump criticized the imbalance in trade between the two countries and accused India of imposing prohibitively high tariffs on American goods for decades.
“What few people understand is that we do very little business with India, but they do a tremendous amount of business with us… They sell us massive amounts of goods… but we sell them very little,” Trump wrote. “Until now a totally one-sided relationship, and it has been for many decades.”
He claimed US businesses have been locked out of the Indian market due to what he called “the most” severe tariffs of any country. While acknowledging that India has now offered to reduce tariffs to zero, Trump said, “It’s getting late. They should have done so years ago.”
He also pointed to India’s continued reliance on Russia for oil and military equipment, adding that the country buys “very little” from the United States in these sectors.
Trump’s remarks come just days after his administration imposed sweeping trade penalties on India. As of August 27, 2025, a combined 50% tariff now applies to a wide range of Indian exports — 25% under a reciprocal trade action and an additional 25% penalty linked to India’s ongoing purchases of Russian oil. The move has been met with sharp criticism from New Delhi, which has called the tariffs “unfair and unjustified.”
The new duties target key Indian exports such as textiles, gems, footwear, and machinery. Pharmaceuticals and electronics have been spared.
Economic analysts warn the tariffs could cost India between $55-60 billion in export losses. The Indian government, however, has signaled it will not yield under pressure. “India will neither bow down nor ever appear weak,” Trade Minister Piyush Goyal said earlier this week.
Despite legal challenges to Trump’s tariff policies in US courts, the levies remain in effect for now, with appeals expected to drag into October.
US President Donald Trump on September 1 claimed that India has offered to cut all tariffs to 'nothing' and added that 'it's too late now'. Trump also lashed out at India’s trade practices, calling the long-standing economic relationship “a totally one-sided disaster.”
In a post on Truth Social, Trump criticized the imbalance in trade between the two countries and accused India of imposing prohibitively high tariffs on American goods for decades.
“What few people understand is that we do very little business with India, but they do a tremendous amount of business with us… They sell us massive amounts of goods… but we sell them very little,” Trump wrote. “Until now a totally one-sided relationship, and it has been for many decades.”
He claimed US businesses have been locked out of the Indian market due to what he called “the most” severe tariffs of any country. While acknowledging that India has now offered to reduce tariffs to zero, Trump said, “It’s getting late. They should have done so years ago.”
He also pointed to India’s continued reliance on Russia for oil and military equipment, adding that the country buys “very little” from the United States in these sectors.
Trump’s remarks come just days after his administration imposed sweeping trade penalties on India. As of August 27, 2025, a combined 50% tariff now applies to a wide range of Indian exports — 25% under a reciprocal trade action and an additional 25% penalty linked to India’s ongoing purchases of Russian oil. The move has been met with sharp criticism from New Delhi, which has called the tariffs “unfair and unjustified.”
The new duties target key Indian exports such as textiles, gems, footwear, and machinery. Pharmaceuticals and electronics have been spared.
Economic analysts warn the tariffs could cost India between $55-60 billion in export losses. The Indian government, however, has signaled it will not yield under pressure. “India will neither bow down nor ever appear weak,” Trade Minister Piyush Goyal said earlier this week.
Despite legal challenges to Trump’s tariff policies in US courts, the levies remain in effect for now, with appeals expected to drag into October.